Migrating Birds

　　by Mónica de la Torre

　　 Victor got a real sense of power

　　 from making his own raisins. He'd buy

　　 pounds and pounds of grapes and leave them to dry

　　 on the kitchen table.

　　 Theresa didn't want to hear about

　　 her ex-husband's cancer. Not on Father's Day.

　　 She took a train all night

　　 to have breakfast with her cousin.

　　 All Sunday she rode the train back.

　　 Once Martin's wife had left，

　　 he decided to take advantage of her space.

　　 He built a sauna where her closet was，

　　 sat there every morning，

　　 to read the paper and Buddha.

　　 One night Helga wore her prettiest dress，

　　 though she knew he wouldn't be there.

　　 She drank dry white， got drunk

　　 （she was on a diet）， and fell down.

　　 Later he saw the holes in her pantyhose.

　　 María was usually bumping into

　　 furniture. Each time she got closer to what

　　 she wanted. "What do you want from me？"

　　 "Nothing，" he replied， so she took off

　　 and felt like migrating birds. But many